Pio 74txvi, or Denon 3806, or Yamaha 2600

[Quant]

Trying to understand the differences between these highly comparable and similar units.

Here are some features I have figured.

Denon:
1. Has Parametric Equalization - however this is only in the automatic equalization. You cannot manually change these settings, as far as I know
2. Has Channel specific crossover settings - maybe useful for people who use different speakers in front and back.
3. Can be bi-amped, but that feature is not officially supported, and you lose the ability to auto-eq
4. Laid-back sound

Pioneer:
1. No Parametric Equalization. However, since you can't tweak Denon's parametric, Denon is at par with Pio if you want to manually adjust anything. This can also cause some sound quality issues with Denon, as in the Audioholics review, auto-eq did as much as +8 db on some bands, making the sound harsh and fatiguing (subjective, though).
2. No seperate x-overs in Pio. Since right now I would use the same speakers throughout, not a negative for me. To maintain sound-field continuity, I might want to keep the same x-over even on different speakers.
3. I think the pioneer officially allows biamping and thus the auto-eq works when biamping the fronts. Since my system is for a family room with lots of challenges, and I would like to bi-amp the fronts, since I'll be running a 5.1, auto-eq might be important for me.

Yamaha 2600
1. Extensive video upscaling, though with limited usefulness if you have a decent upscaler in a high-end tv
2. YPAO not regarded as at par with Pio (MCACC) or Denon (Audyssey)
3. Bright sound

Anyone else want to add anything

 

[zildjian]

Denon:
1. Has Parametric Equalization - however this is only in the automatic equalization. You cannot manually change these settings, as far as I know
2. Has Channel specific crossover settings - maybe useful for people who use different speakers in front and back.
3. Can be bi-amped, but that feature is not officially supported, and you lose the ability to auto-eq

Just want to clarify a few things; first the Denon's auto eq can be manually adjusted after it does it's own autoeq thing; you can tweak the autoeq curves all you like and save them.
Second, the biamp features is officially supported, and autoeq works just like it should with the biamp feature engaged (you engage biamping via the setup menu, very straight forward). The biamping feature was not officially supported on the previous model from Denon, the 3805, but it is indeed an official feature on the 3806.
I'm pretty much just using my 3806 as a theater preamp/processor now with outboard amps powering my speakers (except for the surround channels, the Denon still does that), but I used 3806 a while just as a stand alone receiver to rate it's performance... and used it a couple months in the biamp configuration before reinstalling my theater power amps. My impressions are that the Denon does a great job; the sound I haven't ever considered 'laid back' but as all of this audio reproduction stuff goes, it's all relative to what you hear. Depends a lot on what speakers you use too. You just have to listen to all of them!

I've listened to Pioneer and Yamaha receivers at demo's and @ other people's homes, but haven't not done so in my own home theater, so I can't directly compare there... but for the price point, I personally liked the Denon model the best when I was reviewing receivers in the stores last year... but again, it's what sounds right to you and works best with your speakers. Just make sure the feature set is what you need, and go from there.
Brad

 

[Quant]

Just want to clarify a few things; first the Denon's auto eq can be manually adjusted after it does it's own autoeq thing; you can tweak the autoeq curves all you like and save them.

Does that work with the parametric eq as well, while also allowing you to move the center freq band?

Second, the biamp features is officially supported, and autoeq works just like it should with the biamp feature engaged (you engage biamping via the setup menu, very straight forward). The biamping feature was not officially supported on the previous model from Denon, the 3805, but it is indeed an official feature on the 3806.

Sorry about that - I realize my info was from the 3805 review.

the sound I haven't ever considered 'laid back'

Like I wrote, sq is subjective, and I feel these receivers are very similar.

Thanks for your comments, Brad.

 

[JMO_PWR]

Have you considered a Marantz? Perhaps an SR-7500? If you like movies and love music a marantz would be the go.

 

[zildjian]

Does that work with the parametric eq as well, while also allowing you to move the center freq band?

I'm not quite sure what your asking; the Denon/Audyssey eq will of course initially take measurements in up to 6 or 8 positions in your room (depends on what model receiver you get). From there, it will do it's calculations and give you a few eq settings to choose from if you like
1. Audyssey (aimed at room corrections)
2. Front (matching the other channels to the sound characteristics of the front channels)
3. Flat (obviously, flattening out the curve from each speaker)
4. Manual

You can adjust these eq settings if you like using 'Manual' to whatever you like and I think it does up to +/-20dB (in 0.5 dB steps) over 9 band (63, 125, 250, 500, 1k,2k,4k,8k,16k Hz). You can copy any of the eq curves from the aud, front, or flat if you like, and adjust those for each indivual channel, the default is adjusting both left and right channels together, but this can be changed and eq them indivually, and the center channels is eq'd separately, as well as the surrounds.
One last feature for the sake of completeness, you can also program when to use each eq curve, say you want no eq when listening to your CD source, but what Audssey while listening to your DVD source, or flat while listening to your LP player....
If that doesn't help, let me know.
Brad

 

[Jeje2]

Anyone else want to add anything

Well When I was looking I was coparing the Pioneer to yammy.

Finally chose Yammy - and here's a couple more reasons
* Possibility to adjust the income volume level for each input separately
* OSD that works through HDMI output (Don't need separate cabel, eg S-video, when accessing the menus of the amplifier)
* Remote codes available for usage with multiequipment remotes (eg. Philips Pronto & HTM MX-series)

Yammy also has Bi-amp for front speakers

I've been happy with my yammy - only problem is that I bought wrong colour.
(Got silver as didn't think that could put this into my black sterocabin as of heat problems - it turned out to operate very well and have no heat problems - so black would look nicer behind the glassdoors than the silver I now got )

 

[gmichael]

You can't really go wrong with any of these.